Ella Hällgren is a playwright, performer, and theatre maker from the north of Sweden, who currently lives and works in Edinburgh. She works as a creative both independently and as part of her company, Untie My Tongue Theatre. Her play ‘r/Conspiracy‘ is making its debut this August at Fringe. We spoke to Ella about the play, debuting the show at her adopted home, and her hopes for the month. 

Can you tell us about ‘r/Conspiracy’?

‘r/Conspiracy’ (a new play for messy girls, hungry sleuths, and the chronically online) is a digital noir for 20-somethings who may have fallen down a rabbit hole or two. It’s the story of a young woman – Alex (F20+) – who becomes obsessed with a mystery that pops up on her local subreddit. In an attempt to distract herself from her lonely flat and miserable job, Alex starts chasing after resolution both virtually and IRL, but it doesn’t take long for her obsession to consume her.

‘r/Conspiracy’ is a timely reminder of the flaws of the internet, the dangers of believing everything you read, and a sympathetic look at connection in our pressure cooker of a digital age.

What inspired you to write the play?

‘r/Conspiracy’ is a bit of an intrusive thought, a lot of chaos, a lot of vibes, and a lot of fun! As somebody who grew up on the internet and found a lot of purpose and comfort in online forums, I’ve always wanted to write something surrounding it, but it can be tricky to write about our online worlds without finding it cringy or misrepresented. I wanted to embrace the cringe and get down to the nitty gritty with Alex. Uncover a mystery. Grab a hold of that exciting, addictive feeling of uncovering more clues and basking in the glory of an unexplored conspiracy. I really want to get the audience sucked into that world with us.

It was also important for me to capture the mess of a young person trying to frantically make sense of their life. Treading the murky waters of growing up, getting by, and giving in. That’s really the point of the play, the urge for connection and to be seen. I want a lot of people to be able to relate to Alex – no matter their age, gender identity, or screen time statistics.

The play is having its premiere on your adopted home turf at the Fringe. How are the preparations going?

So far, amazing! I really love working with Emma and the rest of the team, we’ve got a few fun challenges that we’ve taken on to really make sure we create a world that’s cool and fun and inviting for people to step into. Edinburgh is riotous in August, and I feel super lucky to be surrounded by another excellent group of creatives who also are part of the ERP (Emma Ruse Productions) programme. Community is always important, but especially in a climate like the Fringe.

Who are your biggest influences as a playwright?

I’m really inspired by playwrights like Stef Smith, Frances Poet, Rob Drummond, and Zinnie Harris (Scottish new writing is just what I’ve come to love over here). I love exploring the deep and dark, making an audience today feel seen, but challenged. I’m a big fan of speculative themes in theatre – a little bit of horror, science fiction, the apocalypse, dystopia – and I’m always keen to explore that in my own work. There’s also lots of movies, TV shows, novels, graphic novels and video games that make me excited to write – and particularly maybe for this show, internet phenomena, stories, and content that get those creative juices flowing.

How difficult is it to get a play financed and produced?

I would lie if I didn’t say it isn’t difficult – but it all depends on what your goals are as someone going into the festival, and what you hope you can get out of it. It can take a lot of strategy to work up a workable Fringe budget and you have to be creative with your sources – we all know it’s an expensive affair.

I waited six years to put my work out there and I’m very glad that I did, because now I get to do it with a brilliant producer, a community of other new theatre makers, and with a tremendous amount of support that I wouldn’t have had six years ago. But with that said, I think you can do the Fringe on the cheap and be super successful. Work with people you trust, be creative, try every avenue, and know what you want to prioritise and what’s essential for you in your run.

Emma Ruse is producing and directing ‘r/Conspiracy’, as well as other shows from Scottish-based dramatists. What have they brought to the show as a contributor?

Emma is a bit of a mastermind in my eyes. So on top of it. The most important thing for me is being able to trust them with delivering a show I can be proud of, and I know we’re both really invested in how ‘r/Conspiracy’ is coming to life. I’m getting to work with Emma as a director too, and it’s really a joy – they’ve got a text focus, an eye for design and an efficiency that really compliments what this show has to offer, and what makes it exciting. It helps a lot to make something with someone, but beyond that I know that Emma’s commitment and love for new and exciting Scottish theatre is what’s really making this whole experience so special.

Is there anything you’re particularly looking forward to (or dreading!) about the Fringe? What would constitute a successful August for you?

Honestly, getting to share some of my whacky ideas and thoughts with people is enough to get me all giddy. ‘r/Conspiracy’ is such chaotic fun, and I think that will show! I’m also really looking forward to being in the buzz of it all, and to have so many incredible shows just at the tip of my fingers, every single day.

Are there any other shows or performers at the Fringe that you would recommend audiences see?

I’m very excited for ‘Lost Girls / At Bus Stops‘ (Genesis Theatre Productions), ‘FLOAT‘ (F-Bomb Theatre), ‘Flora MacDonald and Zombies‘ (Debbie Cannon) and ‘Deliverance‘ (Brite Theatre). And all of the Emma Ruse Productions shows of course! ‘Jumper Bumps‘, ‘Homo(sapien)‘ and ‘Mary: A Gig Theatre Show‘.

‘r/Conspiracy‘ is on at Gilded Balloon at Appleton Tower – Ruby from Wed 30 Jul to Sun 24 Aug 2025 at 15:00.